Adjustable union



Feb. 18,1941. C NF R 2,232,513

ADJUSTABLE UNION Filed March 29, 1940 13 INVENTOR ITNEISSES v kfoe Gafe/ ATTOR N EYS Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claims.

This invention relates to unions and particularly to an adjustableunion, an object being to provide a construction wherein pipes may beeasily connected and disconnected in a small space.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustableunion structure wherein the parts may be adjustable longitudinally ofthe pipe according to the relative position thereof in connection withanother pipe or other fitting.

An additional and more specific object of the invention is to provide aunion which not only may be mounted and demounted quickly, but

5 wherein a compressed gasket is used to maintain a waterand air-tightconnection between the respective parts.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectionalview through adjacent ends of a pair of pipes and through a unionembodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through Fig. 1 approximately onthe line 22;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through a tubular guide embodying certainfeatures of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through a tubulargasketembodying certain features of the invention;

30 Fig. 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section,illustrating how the union may be connected with an elbow.

' Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, I and 2 indicatepipes of any conven- 35 tional kind, while 3 indicates a union. Union 3may be used to connect pipes I and 2, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may beused to connect I with an elbow 2' or other fitting of the same type.The only difference in construction is that the fit- 40 ting 4 isprovided with exterior threads 5 in Fig. 5 and provided with interiorthreads in Fig. 1 in order to receive the exteriorly threaded pipe 2.The threaded portion 5 may be screwed into an elbow, T-fitting, or anyother desired struc- 5 ture having interior threads. As illustrated inFig. 1, the union is provided with a fitting I, which is the same as thefitting 4 except for the internally threaded portion It and, therefore,the same numerals will apply to the same structure 50 in Figs. '1' and 5except as pointed out. The fit ting' 1 is also provided exteriorly withthreads 8 and interiorly with a bore 9 sufliciently large to permit thepipe I to be inserted various distances, as for instance, until it.strikes the 55 threaded portion 6. Also bore 9 merges into a taperingor flaring portion III. This flaring portion merges into a rounded endportion. It will be understood that pipe I is an ordinary pipe andnaturally is a straight tubular structure. A clamping nut of awell-known kind having a 5 depending annular flange I3 is screwed on tothe threaded section .9 and acts to clamp the gasket I4 in a functioningposition.

The gasket I4, as shown in Fig. 4, consists of an abutment ring I5,which may be metal or 10 other desired material but is preferably stifior rigid and very strong. This abutment ring fits into an annularupstanding portion I6 of the gasket body I1, which may be made ofrubber, lead, or other pliable and compressible material. 10 The annularupstanding portion I6 is provided with a short end portion I8 and alonger end portion I9. When the gasket is in use it is posi tionedsubstantially as shown in Fig. 1 with the portion IB fitting into thetapering or flaring 20 portion- III of the'fitting I. The upstandingannular portion I6 fits against the annular end -II. A metal guide 20surrounds the end portion I9 and the pressure head 2| thereof pressesagainst the side wall portion 22 of the annular 25 upstanding member I6so as to crowd the body I'I downwardly from one side of the ring I5downwardly while the end II crowds the other side downwardly, wherebythere will be a tight contact between the gasket and the pipe I. Thisclamping action is produced by tightening the nut I2 and as the nut I2is tightened the flange I3 will press against the rear surface of head2| and move the entire gasket to the right as shown in Fig. 1 until allparts are tightly in contact, whereby a liquidand air-tight connectionis presented.

It willbe readily observed that the union may be moved longitudinallyrelative to pipe I to take care of various circumstances and. whenproperly positioned will function to provide a tight connection.

I claim:

1. In an adustable union structure for pipes, a gasket having a tubularbody of compressible material provided intermediate its ends with anannularupstanding portion and a rigid ring fitting in said annularupstanding portion, said ring having a bore of substantially the samediameter as the bore in said body, whereby the surface of the ring willbe in the same plane as the surface of the bore of said body.

2. In an adjustable union structure for pipes, a gasket having a tubularbody of compressible material provided intermediate its ends with an ingan annular head arc-shaped in cross section fitting against one side ofsaid upstanding portion of said gasket and extending therefrom over oneedge of said gasket.

JOE CONFER.

